!!!!!
Have an aplication that would require changing parameters (indexing distances) in an AB 1398 Ultra Series drive. I would like to communicate serially if possible w/o using Ultra Master (there is no pc on the machine and we can't mount one). Does anyone know if a communication reference manual exists on this level? I also can't do over Devicenet as there is not a standard PLC in the machine. I can do using an external controller and running the Drive in following mode, but being able to change the parameters would be more elegant.

Thanks,
Bob

How about a operator's terminal? Check this document out:

http://literature.rockwellautomation.com/i...in002_-en-p.pdf

might be interesting but I can't access the link posted.

The app is this. The 1398 is being retrofitted to an existing piece of equipment. The is a small touchscreen controller also being retrofitted. The controller has digital/analog i/o and several serial communication ports which can be programmed in basic (not VB, its not a pc) I need to convert operator entered lengths and then download to the 1398. I can add an additional servo controller card, and use this to drive the 1398. This is more complicated so I would like to download directly to the drive if possible.

the link is a Adobe PDF file. I did a search at the AB website and I believe there may be some documents there that could help you but you need to get the Adobe PDF reader to look over the documents.

yes I know its adobe....thanks for the link but i can't access it when its clicked (nothing opens). I've also tried pasting the link directly either into Firefox and IE. I've also tried opening Adobe first, then clicking the link as occasionally clicking a link won't automatically fire adobe to open. Since I know the link, I should be able to locate it on the AB site. I'll take another look, but I didn't see anything of any help last time I was there. Appreciate the help.

This BBS shortens the visible text. Lets try this:

literature.rockwellautomation.com/idc/groups/literature/documents/in/1398-in002_-en-p.pdf

add a http:// in front of it.

You can also use ascii and communicate from a PLC to change the parameters if there is one on the machine

From a PM


HERE is the 2098 serial command reference. The 1398 varies but is very similar. I know there is documentation for the 1398 serial command reference but can't seem to find it.

The following is actually for a 2098. I have done this with a 1398 but have no current 1398 machines doing this. The hardest part is calculating the checksum. The following is the structure of the ASCII string you will send to the drive.

:aapppfdd..ddcc<cr>

: = New Command
a = Drive Address
p = Parameter (fill with zeros – 74 = 074)
f = Command
d = Data
c = Checksum
<cr> = End of string ($r)

The following is one of the strings I send to a drive. It is to retrieve the fault status

:010740D4$r

Since it am requesting data and not sending a parameter, the string has no data in it. Just the drive address (01), the parameter (074), the command (0), the checksum (D4), and the end statement ($r).

Like I said earlier the hardest part is the checksum. It would probably easier if I did serial communications everyday, perhaps someone else can help with this part.

To calculate the checksum you must add the ASCII numbers for each character in your string excluding the colon (: ). Then subtract 256 by the sum, then convert it to a hexadecimal number and use the last two digits of it. For mine it would be the following

48+49+48+55+52+48 = 300
256-300 = -44
-44 in hex = D4
If there were more than two digits you would only use the least significant two

The drive returns the following when there are not drive faults

:0107400000000054$r

Now at this point the proper thing to do would to be to take the values before the 54, which is our checksum, and make sure that it has returned the proper value. But I'm not trying to launch a space shuttle here so I skip that step and know that :01074 is the address it is coming from, 074 is the parameter, and 0 is the command I sent to the drive. From that I realize that the next 8 zeros is the data returned and move this value to another string to parse out the drive faults

Hope that helps. Call AB and see if you can get the serial reference for the 1398. I can't find it